Saturday, April 4, 2009

The Czar Imperial Stout

Be There! The Fair. Yes, today was the annual day that I got dragged to the Miami-Dade County Fair. I know you've all been there too. 88 degree weather, a passing South Florida style rain storm, the amusement roadie only giving your kid a 1 minute ride (for 3 bucks), overpriced carnival food, and a bunch of cocks (those were actually part of the barnyard judging pavilion). To tell you the truth, the animals were absolutely the best part of this year's fair. Very cool and different birds, peacocks, a cool looking goat group (although one took a piss that lasted like 5 minutes and my kids thought that was the best part of the day).

After a little relaxation, I decided to open up this really nice looking bottle of The Czar Imperial Stout brewed by Avery Brewing Company in Boulder, Colorado. There are 3 old Russian looking dudes in military or regal gear on the bottle, so I'm guessing those are the Czars. I suppose if I spent some time doing research, I'd be able to identify them. However, this is only a 22 ounce bottle. Screw it!

Big bottle, high 10.77% alcohol content. And that alcohol content is present in every single part of this beer. The aroma is very nice--malty, coffee, sweet, and yes alcohol. The flavors are mainly caramels and toffee and coffee beans, but I can get a hint of raisins as well. Rich and creamy, but also very alcoholic, which is not something I was expecting from this beer and not something that is welcome at this level. It is VERY noticeable. The bottle says I should open it right now, but should also go buy more and cellar them as they age well and become more complex. I followed instruction one, as you've read. But there are no cellars in Florida and I wouldn't do that even if there were. Those instructions are very dictatorial, though, which follows the name The Czar.

Now it's my turn to be Beer Drinker Czar. Follow me... Seriously, if you are interested in subscribing via email or becoming a follower, it is very simple. In the right column you will find both options.